The Dare (North Woods University 2)

“Alright, sweetie. Whenever you get back, Henry said he wanted to talk to you about something. I’m not sure what it is, but if I know my husband it’s probably nothing bad.” She giggles like a love sick teenager.

“Uhh, sure.” I blanch, wondering what the hell he could possibly need to talk to me about. She doesn’t say anything else and walks out of the kitchen without even saying goodbye. I tell myself it’s because she’s busy or caught up in her thoughts, but I can’t keep making excuses for her. I thought after her confession at lunch the other day, her attitude toward me would change, but if she keeps acting like she doesn’t care, then it’s probably because she doesn’t.

Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I grab my coffee and head out of the house and off to campus. I try my best to make it through my classes without thinking about Vance, but it’s nearly impossible. When I spot Clark standing on the sidewalk, two girls talking to him, I bite at the chance to ask him if he knows where the hell Vance is. I shouldn’t care, but I do. I care a lot more than I let on.

“Clark,” I call out to him as I close the distance between us.

His eyes lift to mine, indifference reflecting back at me. “Hey A, what’s up?” His tone is cool, casual, but it’s off. Something is up. The two girls he was talking to seconds ago, huff and stomp their heel-covered feet on the ground wanting his full attention. Who purposely wears heels to college?

“Oh, stop it. There is more than enough Clark to go around,” he teases, giving them his signature panting melting smile. One of the girls sighs, and I make a gagging sound.

Clark notices and snickers. “Don’t be like that, we both know you want to take a ride too.”

My brow furrowed in confusion at his comment. After the few times we hung out and talked, I was sure we were past this.

“Seriously? You know we aren’t like that. Why are you acting weird?”

Clark shrugs. “Nothing weird about me. Just being myself.” He plucks a hair off one of the girl’s shoulders and examines it just like he did the first time I met him.

“Clark,” I growl.

“Go find another dick to ride. I’m sure Vance’s is available. Or maybe not, last I heard I think he was balls deep inside of Sarah, but I can’t be sure.”

The menace in his voice tells me he knows more than he’s letting on, and I flinch, retreating a step back. His dig hurts, hitting me right where he had intended to. Even if Vance and I don’t want to admit it, there’s something going on between us, a connection, and hearing that Vance was with another chick after just being with me, Sarah of all people, stings. The two sorority chicks beside him start to giggle. Lifting my head, I hold my chin up high.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just going to ask you if you had seen Vance. Our parents are worried about him,” I lie.

Clark squints down at me, taking a step forward, and then another until he’s invading my space. He’s gorgeous even on his worst days, but right now he’s downright terrifying. He lifts a hand to my face, and it’s almost like he’s going to touch me, but he stops a fraction of an inch away from my bottom lip.

“You’ve got a little bullshit left on your lip from all the lies you’ve been spewing. Want me to get it for you?”

Ass-fucking-hole. Instantly I know this has everything to do with Vance. Every single thing.

I can’t stop my reaction. I’m angry. Hurt. Broken inside. In a fit of rage, I pull my hand back and slap him hard, right across his stupidly perfect face. A sting of pain lances across my palm at the contact. His jaw tightens and his hand falls away, balling up into a tight fist.

What happened? What did he tell Clark?

I’m missing pieces to a puzzle that seems to get larger and larger every single day. I stare in horror at the red handprint on his cheek.

Clark tilts his head to the side. “Nothing you say to me will ever make me forgive you for hurting him. We might have been friends for half a second, but you mean shit to me now.”

His words cut through me like a knife and I can’t stop myself from turning around and running back the way I came. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. Coming here. Thinking I could earn my mother’s love. Thinking that I would fit in. I know without even talking to Vance that he doesn’t believe me. His father probably told him that it was a lie. Cold tears fall from my eyes as I run down the sidewalk, nearly taking out a group of people along the way.